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'Horrendous' Everton claim issued after Frank Lampard controversy twist - expert
Danny Mills has slammed the FA after they fined Frank Lampard £30,000 for comments he made after Everton lost 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield in the 2021-22 season.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Man City and England defender insisted Everton were the victims of “horrendous” refereeing decisions and Lampard’s comments on the officials were not wrong.
The FA confirmed at the end of last month (31 May) that the 43-year-old had been slapped with a fine for implying that the referee was biased.
The Englishman suggested his side were denied a penalty for a challenge on Anthony Gordon because the game was at Anfield.
“We have to be very, very careful to not go completely bland and sterile in football,” Mills told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“We want opinions. He didn’t call the referee a cheat, he just said what we all know and what we’ve seen down the years.
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“Everton were on the back of some really poor decisions in that period as well, don’t forget. The PGMOL had to come out and apologise.
“That ultimately could have cost them their place in the Premier League. The handball against Man City that wasn’t given and there was a couple of other decisions. Things build up.
“Sometimes, the FA need to look at the bigger picture. I know they won’t but sometimes you’ve got to look at mitigating circumstances. There have been two or three horrific decisions that have been and the referee’s association had to apoligse for it.
“Is it any wonder the manager is frustrated? Not really, is the answer.
“£30,000 is a token gesture, a slap on the wrist. If you went through the whole season you could probably fine every single manager for saying similar things.
“If you went through the statistics it would probably say the same. Bigger clubs get more penalties at home.
“The problem is when the FA look at these things they look at it in absolute black and white, look at what is said on a piece of paper on its own. They don’t look at the season, what’s built up to it.”
In other news, Everton have made a move to sign a big-name forward and £20million will seal the deal.